The Radici Festival, which aims to enhance creativity and artistic interpretation, is an initiative of APS AttivaMente, a cultural association, with the patronage of the Municipality of San Lucido (CS). The initiative is realized for cultural purposes, without profit, and in collaboration with volunteers, collaborators, and partners who believe in the purely cultural and social value of the event. The official website of the Festival is www.radici-festival.it.

Introduction

ROOTS are our connection to the land, to history, and to people. They are the foundation on which we build our dreams and aspirations. Like sturdy trees, roots anchor us to the ground, while our branches boldly reach for the endless sky and distant, unknown horizons. Like Ulysses, we embark on our epic journey. We explore unknown lands, cultures, and traditions, and along with the "new," we savor the bittersweet taste of belonging. Comfort and discomfort, together. Our journey is not mere geographical exploration; it is above all an inner adventure. Through the challenges and experiences we encounter along the way, we grow, learn, and transform. And when we finally return to our Ithaca, we bring with us the beauties of the world, enriching and nourishing the soil from which we were born. ROOTS is an invitation to explore and embrace the diversity and complexity of the world. A call to leave our mark while always keeping our bond with our origins intact, which are the starting point and perhaps the end point of our extraordinary journey.

Concept

The Radici Festival is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the art of illustration as a powerful means of expression. It is designed for young people, with the aim of inspiring them through encounters with artists, professionals, and virtuous organizations, in order to encourage the exploration of their creative abilities. The contest invites young people to unleash their creativity through illustrations. What matters is the freshness and originality of the idea. The meeting with professionals will then transform these insights into something extraordinary.

Motto

We don't seek perfect realizations, but beautiful ideas!

Contest Participants

The contest is open to people between 18 and 30 years old who are not professionals in the field.

Access

The initiative is non-profit and therefore completely free.

Timeline and Phases

The overall timeline is as follows:

Contest participants will be able to submit their work as defined by the rules and exclusively within the defined timeframe of the contest. Winners will be contacted by the date specified in the timeline, and the final event will take place on the date indicated in the timeline. Below is the program for the two main phases:

PHASE I (The Contest)

- A contest that will give young participants the opportunity to compete with their peers through the artistic interpretation of a theme.

PHASE II (The Festival)

- A workshop, where the authors of the 10 most beautiful ideas produced during PHASE I will participate.

- Talks, free to access, aimed at inspiring participants through examples and enriching the dialogue about the world of illustration and its potential in modern society;

- A collective exhibition, free to access, of the most representative works of the contest (alternatively, it may be displayed on the official website);

- One or more solo exhibitions, free to access, held by artists and professionals from the sector.

Theme

The first edition of the Contest aims to celebrate the concept of the entire project: ROOTS, understood as the deep connection with one's own land, its millennial traditions, its captivating legends, and its rich culture. The contest is an invitation to reflect and reconnect with these roots, to reinterpret one's connections with their territory, to explore and express them through art, celebrating one's identity in all its forms. There are multiple interpretations of the theme:

- Traditions: The art of telling traditions, from religious processions to village festivals, from ancient trades to recipes passed down from generation to generation;

- Legends: The mythical narratives and legends that populate the territory, silent witnesses of past eras;

- Culture: The exploration of one's own culture, from folk music to traditional dance, to craftsmanship that tells stories of skill and passion;

- Departure, but also return: Roots as a starting point towards different realities and cultures. Like Ithaca for Ulysses, a starting point, and sometimes, a place to return to.

We invite you to immerse yourself in your personal experiences, the stories you've heard, the images stored from your childhood, or the impressions gathered throughout your life. Let your interpretation of the ROOTS theme be a personal journey that brings to light the multiple facets of your identity, showing, through your unique artistic language, the unbreakable bond each of you has with your origins. However, remember that roots are not only an anchor point, but also a springboard toward greater dreams and higher ambitions. You can use your roots as a starting point toward new horizons, toward the expansion of your potential and the fulfillment of your deepest desires. May your artistic journey be an ode to the beauty of growth, the strength of your roots, and the magnificence of your dreams.

Participation Method

To ensure the integrity of the festival, it is essential that each artwork submitted reflects the individual creativity and originality of its author. Each participant may submit only one artwork, created by their own ingenuity and personal effort. The use of AI to create all or part of the artwork is prohibited.

Artwork Requirements

The artwork must be in a rectangular format and preferably of a size not bigger than A3size and can be created using any artistic technique.

- If the artwork is digital, it must be submitted in good quality, in JPG or PDF format;

- If it is handmade, a digital version with a high-resolution scan in JPG or PDF format must be submitted.

Submission Method

To participate in the illustration contest, you must send what follows to the email info@radici-festival.it or to our Instagram profile radici.festival.official:

- The illustration (max 5 MB, in one of the following formats: JPG, PDF. The file must be named as title_illustration.file_extension, e.g. le_radici.jpeg);

- A filled and signed copy of the Regulation Acceptance Declaration: Attachment A (JPG or PDF format, max 1 MB, file name should be title_illustration-last_name-allegato_a.pdf, e.g. le_radici-rossi-allegato_a.pdf);

- A filled and signed copy of the Privacy Information and Request for Consent under Article 7 of the EU Regulation: Attachment B (JPG orPDF format, max 1 MB, file name should be title_illustration_your_last_name-allegato_b.pdf, e.g. le_radici-rossi-allegato_b.pdf);

- A filled and signed copy of the Liability Disclaimer: Attachment C (JPG or PDF format, max 1 MB, file name should be title_illustration_your_last_name-allegato_c.pdf, e.g. le_radici-rossi-allegato_c).

It is recommended to use the naming convention as shown in the example and not exceed the maximum file size specified for each attachment. If any issues arise during the upload process, assistance can be obtained by sending an email to info@radici-festival.it or writing in DM to radici.festival.official.

Prohibition of Offensive and Harmful Content

It is strictly prohibited to submit images or files that contain offensive, harmful, or damaging content to individuals, groups, or communities. This includes, but is not limited to:

- Pornographic or sexual content;
- Discriminatory or defamatory content;
- Depictions of violence or cruelty;
- Content that violates the privacy or intellectual property rights of third parties.

It is also mandatory to scan files before submission to ensure no viruses, malware, or spyware are included. In case of violation of the above conditions, the association (and its partners) reserves the right to exclude the participant from the contest and take any necessary legal actions.

Deadline and Maximum Number of Participants

The artworks must be submitted by midnight on the last day indicated in the timeline, according to the instructions specified in this regulation under Submission Method. Please note that once 250 applications are reached, registrations will close.

Jury

The composition of the jury will be announced on the official Festival website. The decisions of the jury are final and binding for all participants. No disputes will be entertained.

Selection and Prize

The jury of experts will select the 10 most beautiful ideas. The authors of these 10 ideas will have the opportunity to participate in an exclusive workshop held by Giuseppe Talarico, a renowned designer and illustrator, founder of the project The Calabreser. The workshop will cover a subject and duration defined by the mentor and will take place during the morning of the Festival.

During the Festival day, the winner of the contest will also be announced. The prize for the contest winner will be announced on the website, in this section.

The most representative of all submitted works may be displayed in a collective exhibition during the Festival or alternatively on the official Festival website.

Selection for Workshop Participation and Winner Selection

The jury will freely and at its sole discretion select the authors of the 10 most beautiful ideas.

The jury will freely and at its sole discretion select the winner of the contest.

The authors of the 10 most beautiful ideas who will attend the workshop will be contacted by the association via email (info@radici-festival.it). Please also check the Spam section to ensure that your email service has not incorrectly categorized the communication. By midnight on the following day of the invitation, the authors must confirm their availability to participate in the workshop. If no confirmation is received, the association reserves the right to move down the rankings to assign all available spots (e.g., if one of the top 10 does not confirm, the 11th person will be contacted, and so on).

The winning artwork will be announced during the Festival day.

The association Attivamente (including its volunteers, collaborators, and partners) does not cover any costs (e.g., related to travel, hotel stays, or other expenses) nor assumes responsibility for any logistical issues related to reaching the event location. All expenses and organizational aspects are the sole responsibility of the participants.

Rights to the Artwork

The rights to the artwork remain the property of the respective authors. Participants grant the non-exclusive right to publish, disseminate, reproduce, and distribute the artwork on any medium, format, and scale, in any context aimed at the correct conduct, promotion, and support of the Radici Festival and potential uses by the association AttivaMente (and its partners). Participants waive any financial claim and have no right to royalties.

The association AttivaMente (and its partners) commits to always citing the legitimate author of the used artwork. Authors of selected works commit to always acknowledging their participation in the Radici Festival when using the artwork in media.

Association's Responsibility

Participants guarantee that the works presented do not infringe upon the rights of third parties and release the entire association (including its volunteers, collaborators, and partners) from any responsibility for any issues that may arise.

The association (including its volunteers, collaborators, and partners) may resolve any case not foreseen in this Regulation. In case of unforeseen circumstances, natural disasters, pandemic periods, or any other reasons, the association reserves the right to suspend, cancel, delay the Contest, the event associated with it, or modify this Regulation at any time based on the needs for its management. No compensation of any kind will be provided to participants regarding these possibilities. Participation in the Contest and/or the Festival implies full acceptance of this Regulation.

The association AttivaMente (including its volunteers, collaborators, and partners) will not be responsible for any damages, thefts, losses, or deterioration of displayed works, or for accidents involving participants and/or visitors during the event.

For any disputes, the Court of Cosenza will have exclusive jurisdiction.

Changes to the Regulation

The association reserves the right to make changes to the contest regulation. By participating in the contest, participants fully and unconditionally. In case of violation of the conditions listed above, the association (including its volunteers, collaborators, and partners) reserves the right to exclude the participant from the contest and take any necessary legal actions.

Privacy and Data Processing

Participation in the contest requires viewing the acceptance of the privacy policy and expressing consent (Attachment B) in accordance with Article 7 of the EU regulation.